Five days in an all inclusive resort in Rivera Maya, Mexico
Hello! Sarah here! Hitting up a new country on this blog post. This entry will be a little different (still really honest though!). This trip is not our “typical” trip with adventures and hidden gems. It’s an all inclusive resort in Rivera Maya, Mexico. I know, I know, but I think it would be important to write a post about this as it is a new experience for me and I am able to contrast it to a backpacker lifestyle
This trip was 4 nights and 5 days and totally free. Everything was paid for including airport transfers, tips, drinks, and extra activities. How is this free? My mother is a distributor for a skincare company (shoutout to Nuskin).
This success trip includes two people, so my mother asked me and of course I’ll take any opportunity to go out of the country and catch a flight. Thank you mama Kim!
Oh! By the way, these are my thoughts on an all inclusive resort so take it with a grain of salt. I know many of you would disagree. This is a personal experience and my thoughts. Take it lightly!
Day 1
We landed at the Cancun International Airport and the hotel transfer staff greeted us with a sign. They showed us where to ride a bus to be taken to Rivera Maya (which is about 40 miles, an hour drive from the Cancun International Airport).
We rode the shuttle bus for about 45 minutes to the hotel and the staff greeted us with smiles and gave us a welcome gift and a non-alcoholic drink and checked us in.
There are no key cards in this hotel: Xcaret Hotel Arte, the staff gave us a bracelet that had a chip inside of it that is linked to our name and room number. This serves as your room key and they also scanned it several times when we were on activities that shot pictures, etc. You are able to scan the bracelet back at the hotel and see your pictures and purchase them as well. It was very nice and stress free that I don’t need to keep up with a key card or key!
Once we checked in, the staff takes all your bags and walks you to your room to show you around and explain where everything is (the hotel is huge…). The rooms here all have a balcony with two hammocks and a couch, a jacuzzi, two head rainfall shower, Nespresso coffee machine, Bose sound system, and unlimited canned beer.
Once we checked in to our room, we left our luggage and went to go to a restaurant/bar right on the pool. Most restaurants in the hotel seemed to be all buffet style so we decided to just eat lightly and try the other restaurants as well.
Time went by pretty fast with everything going on airport transfers, check in, hotel tour, reservations, etc. But I wasn’t tired because everything was all set up for me and I just needed to “follow”.
I decided to get a quick workout at the gym before dinner.
The gym here is amazing. Sound system, gym equipment, and size. The best part? Having the gym in its entirety to myself.
Dinner was at a different restaurant, this place serves lots of traditional Mexican cuisine. We were able to taste the various alcohol of Mexico: tequila, macadamia liquor, coffee liquor, etc.
Day 2
It’s 6 AM. Started the day early. I am not a morning person, but mama Kim is. I am not a breakfast person as well, so I opted out of stuffing my face with unnecessary carbohydrates and decided to go to the gym.
Today, I explored around the hotel. I made my way to the concierge and made some reservations for some restaurants in the hotel (the restaurants that serve from a menu needs a reservation even though it’s included).
The concierge was a great help to grasp how the hotel works. The hotel has a total of four rooftop bars with an infinite pool (one that is exclusive to members of the hotel), five restaurants for free and unlimited use, one restaurant for an additional fee, and a coffee shop for unlimited use. Seems excessive? Yeah that’s what I think too.
We went to XCARET Park, a nature park that is in Playa del Carmen. You have activities such as underground rivers, walking through a coral reef aquarium, swimming with sharks, discovering Mayan ruins, and eating various Mexican and international dishes.
And… we also went to XOXIMILCO. Where we ride a floating river boat and have a tasting of 27 different kinds of ingredients, foods, desserts with unlimited beer and tequila. As you float down the river, you will play some traditional Mexican games and will be greeted by different groups that play mariachi music.
This tour ran for 3+ hours and was CRAZY.
We went back to our hotel in a shuttle bus full of drunk people. Even saw some vomiting… Great end to the night!
Enough said for today.
Day 3
Slept in.
Woke up and headed to the gym. Since we went out all day yesterday, we decided to stay at the hotel and eat good food.
My mom actually got up early and had a HUGE breakfast and went kayaking by herself! She’s a trooper! The hotel also had the option to kayak and paddle board!
For lunch, we went to a restaurant that served upscale Mexican cuisine. It was so good! Had the best egg nog crème brûlée and coconut ice cream!
For dinner we ate at a Japanese restaurant and had a good selection of raw seafood and had so much fun ordering different types of sushi! The octopus and strawberry salad hit the spot! The best food we had since being here!
Day 4
Literally did NOTHING except going to the gym and sitting by the beach and reading.
Took a wonderful bath and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon.
Attended a ceremony with my mother in the evening!
Day 5
Heading home day!
Got a box of fruit and awaited our shuttle bus to take us to the airport.
Closing Thoughts:
The good part that I got to notice is that THOUSANDS of jobs were created due to this touristic scene in Mexico. It is so good for the citizens here in Cancun.
The “bad” part is they are not getting paid as much as they should. The work is grueling in an all inclusive facility and the staff is always underpaid.
Unless it is for work purposes, I would not choose to go to an all inclusive trip. A little more work and effort, but I love going out of the way and trying local hidden gems and meeting like minded people who want to leave a place better than you found it. To promote sustainability, health, and a nomadic lifestyle. Also… I noticed that for all inclusive, it takes a lot of alcohol for the money to be worth it. I only had a glass of wine with dinner (if that…)
Something that I might consider is an all inclusive wellness retreat. Yoga, exercise, meditation, and a retreat to restart not only my physical health, but also my mental health. That sounds like an all inclusive option I would opt in… or maybe an all inclusive mountain resort? I realized I didn’t get in the pool and only dipped my feet for a few seconds at the beach!
I am very grateful I was able to take a trip with my mother. I don’t get to see her often and even if I am visiting home, she’s super busy with work!
Again, this is my experience and my experience only. Take it with a grain of salt!
What are your thoughts on highly touristic areas? All inclusive vacations? Let us know!
With love, Sarah
